Wall covering



July 3, 1951 J. VAN HULST 2,559,051

WALL COVERING Filed Jan. 7, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGJ &

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FIG. 4 Fmfs lJLi/MOE Q12 02 nflw y 1951 J. VAN HULST 2,559,051

WALL COVERING Filed Jan. 7, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.6 FIG] Patented July 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application January 7, 1947, Serial No. 720,668 In the Netherlands January 25, 1946 3 Claims. (Cl. 20-4) The present invention relates to an improved means for installing and retaining wall panels or slabs, particularly interior wall panels, in position on posts, studs or similar supports.

More particularly the invention relates to the improved covering strip for removably attaching wall panels to the stud or post and in which movable wedges are associated with the strip for cooperation with headed guiding pins projecting from the stud or post.

The invention therefore has for an object to provide a covering strip of the character described which is economical to manufacture, may be quickly and readily installed with a minimum of skilled labor and is of such construction as to permit access to the wedges that are carried within the strip.

Another and more specific object is to provide a covering strip structure for use in securing wall panels in relation against a stud or post provided with protruding headed guiding pins in which-the strip embodies side portions having spaced parallel double walls which receive wings or lateral flanges of a channel shaped tapered wedging member and in which the strip is provided with flanges projecting outwardly from the facing inner ends of the double walls and which flanges are provided with spaced out out portions to provide for access to the wedgin members carried within the strip.

An additional object is to provide in such an arrangement areas in which the space between the double walls of the side portions of the strip are reduced at corresponding intervals with the cut out portions so that this reduced area can frictionally retain the wings or flanges of the wedging members against accidental movement past the cut out portions insuring that once the wedges have been inserted within the strip the same will be in position for wedging movement by a tool passed through the cut away portions in the flanges when the strip has been applied with the side portions thereof overlapping panels placed against the stud or post.

Further and more specific objects will be apparent from the following detailed description.

According to the present invention each support is provided beforehand throughout its length with spaced guiding pins, such as headed screws, extending outside the support at a length equal to about the thickness of the panel, the panels being applied to the supports on either side of the screws and the space between each pair of adjacent panels being covered by a strip, comprising a front portion overlapping the panels and side portions fitting between the panels, the said strip being provided with loose wedges corresponding to the screws in the support and adapted to beacted upon from the side, so as to force them into engagement with the said screws and to cause the panels to be firmly clamped by the strips to the supports.

A wall covering realized by carrying out the above mentioned method thus comprises a plurality of panels secured to supports by means of covering strips overlapping the edges of the panels and entering the space between the panels, the said strips being firmly clamped to the supports with the aid of wedges slidably arranged within the strips and cooperating with guiding pins protruding substantially perpendicularly from the supports.

The covering strip which is used according to the present invention may comprise a doublewalled front portion overlapping the edges of the panels and wing portions entering the space between adjacent panels, spaced'depressions being provided in the said strips, where the wing portions have been taken away and the space between the double walls of the front portion has been reduced, so as to enable lateral access to the interior of the strip when applied to the panels and to act upon wedges provided in the said interior of the strip and cooperating with guiding members protruding from the supports.

The wedge used in combination with the said strip preferably comprises an inclined web with a slot through which a guiding pin may pass, two upstanding walls or sides with at least one aperture therein, and wings or flanges extending from the said upstanding walls and fitting with small frictional resistance between the double walls of the front portion of the depressed parts in the covering strip.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings in which Fig. 1 shows a horizontal section of a post with two covering panels secured thereto by means of a covering strip according to the invention.

Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the strip.

Fig. 3 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 4 is a section through the line IV-I.'V of Fig. 2 on a larger scale.

Fig. 5 is a similar section on the line V--V of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a wedge belonging to the covering strip on a larger scale.

Figs. 7 and 8 show this wedge in front view and in side view, respectively.

The posts or supports I, to which the covering slabs or panels 2 are to be secured, are provided beforehand with regularly spaced headed guiding pins, which as shown are screws 3 mechanically screwed approximately in the middle of the width of the post, in such a manner that the said screws 3 protrude from the front face of the post at a distance equal to about the thickness of the panels 2.

The panels or slabs 2 are now applied to the posts I in such a manner that each screw 3 is disposed approximately in the middle of the width of the space 4 which is to be covered.

The space 4 between the panels 2 is covered by a metal strip 5 consisting of a double-walled body 6, 6', 6" from which project two flanges I, 8. This strip 5 is so applied that the flanges I, 8 fit between the lateral borders of the panels 2, whilst the wall parts 8', 6" overlap and rest against the front faces of the slabs.

As appears from Figs. 2 and 3, the strip 5 is provided with regularly spaced cut out portions 9, where the portions of the flanges I, 8 have been removed and as indicated from a comparison of Figures 4 and 5 the space between the wall part Ii and 6', 6" is smaller at the area subjacent the cut out portions 9 than is the area between these walls where the flanges are not cut out. In other words, the strip has cut out portions in the flanges and the space between the double walls of the strip is reduced at corresponding intervals.

Within the strip 5 and adjacent the cut out portions 9 are disposed loose wedges I0, one of which is illustrated in Figures 6 to 8. Each wedge comprises a channel member including an inclined web II having a slot extending inwardly from the deeper end of the channel. The entrance end of this slot is cut off or beveled at IIb and the slot is adapted to receive the adjacent guiding pin projecting from the post. The walls or sides of the channel [2 and I3 are provided with oppositely arranged apertures I4 and wings or flanges I5--l6 extend laterally from the base of the channel walls and which apertures I4 as shown in Figure 6 are continued and extend part way within the flanges I5-I6. These flanges or wings are adapted to freely slide between the walls of the side portions of the strip 5 at that portion thereof where the thickness or space between the double walls has not been reduced, however the reduced portions of the strip adjacent the cut outs 9 are such that the wings I5-I6 are frictionally retained between the walls 6 and 6', 6". This friction is not sufiicient to prevent the Wedging member being moved relative to the cut out portions of the flanges I and 8 but it is sufficient to prevent accidental movements of these wedging members past the cut out portions. In other words, the wedges II] are movable but not freely slidable past the cut out portions 9 of the strip 5.

When the covering strip as shown and embodying the wedges III therewithin has been applied in the space 4 between panels or slabs 2 as shown in Figure l a special tool is passed through the cut out portions 9 of the strip and into the apertures I4 of the Wedges I0, following which the wedges II] are moved downwardly and each screw passes the bevels I lb and enters the slots Ila in the web of the channel of each wedging member so that the head of the screw lies beneath the inclined web II of the wedge. In moving the wedging members further, wedging action, that is the cooperation between the inner surface of the web and the head on the screw, will forc the strip 5 toward the post I to consequently clamp the panels 2 firmly against the post I.

It will be understood that the above described manner of securing the panels 2 to the post I is extremely simple. Care has been taken that the screws 3 are mounted in the stud or post I in such a manner that the covering strip 5 can be placed at once in the space 4 without any difficulties, after which it is immediately possible to act upon the wedges I0 laterally from the strips 5 by passing a tool or tools through the cut out portions 9.

The seams between the panels 2 are covered very nicely, the panels or slabs are effectively secured and nevertheless they are able to expand freely in all directions.

It is clear therefore that I have provided an arrangement for combination with at least one stud which includes the disposition of spaced headed guiding pins disposed in longitudinal alignment and a covering strip embodying at least one wedging member cooperable with each guiding pin and which strip includes a front face having its lateral edges bent upon themselves to define hollow side portions with spaced parallel double walls that overlap the edges of panels to be clamped to the post. The covering strip further includes spaced flanges projecting outwardly of an integral with the side portions and which flanges enter in the space between the edges of the panels to be secured to the post. Within the strip are provided movable wedges each including a channel member having an inclined web with a slot extending inwardly from the deeper end of the channel and which channel member has wings or flanges extending laterally of the side walls thereof and which flanges are movable in the space between the double walls of the side portions. As indicated at corresponding intervals the flanges of the strip are cut away and the space between the double walls is reduced. The side walls of the channels of the wedging members have apertures therein adjacent the entrance end of the slot in the web, the arrangement being such that with the strip applied against two panels placed against the stud or post I, a tool can be passed through the cut away portions 9 into the apertures in the sides of the channel members to move the wedging members relative to the headed guiding pins so that the cooperation between the inclined surface of the web and the head of the pin effects the clamping action.

What I claim is:

l. A wall covering comprising in combination at least one upright stud, spaced headed guiding pins protruding perpendicularly from the front face of the stud and disposed in vertical alignment, panels arranged against the front face of the stud on opposite sides of and spaced from the guiding pins, a covering strip extending between the panels and overlapping the edges thereof, wedging members engaged by and movably arranged within the covering strip and each having a wedging surface engaging the headed end of a guiding pin, and the lateral edges of the covering strip having spaced apertures providing lateral access to the interior of the strip along the front face of each panel for moving the wedging members in longitudinal direction of the strip and to force said members, by the cooperation of their wedging surfaces with the headed ends of the protruding guiding pins, towards the stud and thereby to clamp the strip firmly against the panels.

2. A wall covering comprising in combination at least one stud, spaced headed guiding pins protruding substantially perpendicularly from the front face of the stud and disposed in respective longitudinal alignment, panels arranged against the front face of the stud on opposite sides of and laterally spaced from the guiding pins, a covering strip extending between the panels and comprising a front face having its lateral edges bent upon themselves so as to define hollow side portions with spaced parallel double walls overlapping the edges of the panels and said strip including projecting flanges integral with and substantially perpendicular to the said side portions, said flanges being disposed in the space between the panels and on opposite sides of the pins, said flanges having spaced out out portions along the length thereof and the space between the double walls of the side portions being reduced at corresponding spaced intervals, wedging members engaged by and longitudinally movably arranged within the covering strip, each wedging member comprising a channel of decreasing depth having a slot in the web thereof, said slot having an entrance end commencing at the deeper end of the channel and receiving a guiding pin, the sides of the channel having apertures therein adjacent the entrance end of the slot and with integral laterally extending wing portions slidably fitting between the double walls of the side portions of the strip, said wedging members being disposed within the strip adjacent the cut out portions of the projecting flanges, so as to afford lateral access to the apertures in the channel sides of the wedging members through the cut outs in the flanges of the strip to enable longitudinal displacement of the said wedging members, so that they can be forced into position with the wing portions in the reduced spaces between the double walls of the side portions of the strip and to cause the said wedging members, by the cooperation of the headed guiding pins with the webs of said wedging members, to be drawn towards the stud and thereby to clamp the strip firmly against the panels.

3. A covering strip for removably attaching wall panels to a stud, comprising a front face having its lateral edges bent upon themselves to form side portions with spaced parallel double walls, integral flanges projecting at right angles thereto, the said flanges being cut away and the space between the double walls of the side portions being reduced at corresponding spaced intervals, said covering strip being provided with a plurality of loose wedging members movable in longitudinal direction of the strip, each of the said wedging members comprising a channel of decreasing depth having a slot in the web commencing at the deeper end of the channel, the sides of the channel having apertures therein and integral laterally extending wing portions fitting between the double walls of the side portions of the strip, the reduced space between the double walls of the side portions of the strip frictionally retaining the wing portions of the flanges of the strip.

JAN VAN HULST.

REFERENCE-S orren The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,068,562 Murphy et a1 Jan. 19, 1937 2,317,634 Olsen Apr. 2'7, 1943 2,403,580 Cartwright et al. July 9,- 1946 

